Using the WISPR (Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe) instrument aboard NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, scientists observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from October 18 to November 5, 2025.
This image from Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument shows the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Image credit: NRL / NASA / JHUAPL / Guillermo Stenborg, JHUAPL.
3I/ATLAS was discovered by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, on July 1, 2025.
Also known as C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) and A11pl3Z, the interstellar comet arrived from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius.
3I/ATLAS made a close approach to Mars at a distance of 0.194 AU on October 3 and reached its closest approach to the Sun — known as perihelion — on October 30.
On December 19, the object made its closest approach to Earth, coming to within 270 million km (168 million miles) of our home planet.
The new images of 3I/ATLAS were captured with the WISPR instrument on board NASA’s Parker Solar Probe from October 18 to November 5.
“Parker Solar Probe snapped around 10 images of the comet per day,” members of the WISPR team said in a statement.
“During this period, the spacecraft was speeding away from the Sun following its 25th solar flyby on September 15.”
“In these initial images — which still need to go through final calibration and processing — the comet can be seen heading behind the Sun from Parker’s point of view.”
“At the time, the comet was near its closest point to the Sun, at a distance of about 209 million km (130 million miles), placing it just outside the orbit of Mars.”
“The images offer a valuable look at the comet over a period when it couldn’t be seen from Earth because it appeared too close to the Sun from Earth’s perspective.”
The WISPR team is continuing to process the data to remove stray sunlight and compensate for exposure times, which differed between the images, causing the comet to appear as if it changed brightness.
“The final images will ultimately help us better study this interstellar visitor,” the researchers said.